Riding the Indian rails: A real life roller coaster ride
Posted on 04. Sep, 2012 by Jess in India
From the minute we first boarded the train in Kerala, India, all Dani wanted to do was hang out the door, taking pictures and letting her hair (and cheeks!) flap in the wind as we pummeled down the track at breakneck speed. Relieved that we weren’t on the roof, I was fine to let her hang off one handed all she wanted. Hell, the locals consider the step right in front of that door a prime seat, so why not let her jump right in to Indian culture and enjoy it!
Before the trip to India, we did all the mandatory research about where to stay and how to get from A to B. This inevitably led to images of hundreds of Indians piled on top of massive trains, exposed to the elements for better or worse.
The experienced traveler in each of us knew that we wouldn’t be sitting on top of a train, but what we didn’t know is just how much of an adventure the Indian train experience would actually be.
Riding the rails in India is an experience unlike in any other country and although there is a method to the madness, the method (like all methods and matters of official transportation business in India) only make sense in a roundabout way.
When everything goes right, we had a great time immersed in culture of Sleeper class. We sprawled out on periwinkle blue plastic cushions encrusted with a layer of permanent dirt and watched the countryside whip past.
Trains are the best way to visually digest massive amounts of Indian countryside as they pass through the backs of cities and across sweeping landscapes filled with palm trees. Buses, on the other hand, plow through the most congested areas of India, the main thoroughfares and city streets. Looking out the window of the train, breeze blowing in, India feels like a patchwork of wide-open spaces held sewn together by train stations and railroad tracks.
From the (relative) comforts of Sleeper class, we listened to the sounds of the Chai Walla boys, carrying their heavy steel jugs of steaming hot chai tea through the narrow aisles, and breathed deeply whenever the food vendors passed with their baskets of idlies, a savory lentil donut, or full plates of curries and rice covered in plastic wrap and ready to eat.
Despite warnings that booking ahead was a must, we were able to hop on comfortably for our first few trips down the Keralan coast from Kochi to Trivandrum and then back up as we made our way to Goa.
And then our luck ran out.
Winging it doesn’t work in the Indian train system, which feels counter-intuitive considering that so many other aspects of life seem to be hanging on by a thread. Indians (the middle class at least) book weeks, even months ahead. Suddenly, there was no extra room in the Sleeper wagons for us and we were forced to run to the very front or very back of the train to the Second Class.
This is an entirely different experience, and the term Second Class does not mean one step down from First. This is not the railway’s equivalent to flying coach. Instead, hundreds of people sit, stand, lean and hang inside the same space that seats no more than fifty during a busy day in a Sleeper.
It was when we were squished into Second class that we started to realize how entirely unsafe the train really is. Massive pushing and shoving ensues at every stop. Hanging out the door is not a playful little adventure like in Sleeper.
Here is means hanging on for your life hoping that everyone inside doesn’t all breathe in at once, puffed lungs eliminating every last centimeter and sending you flying out the door.
The more expensive the ticket, the closer to the center of the train you will find your car. So First Class is in the center, the many levels of Sleepers and air-conditioned classes more toward the outside on either side, and then at the very end, the Second Class wagons. When the train crashes, these are the cars and the people who are hit. When a wagon flies off after the train approaches a corner at breakneck speed, Second Class are the wagons that flip off into the night.
In case of an emergency, chaos would ensure. Several iron bars cover every single window, save for one single window in each wagon aptly named the Emergency Exit. But rather than the determined order it would take to evacuate, picture four Indians shoving heads and other limbs through the tiny space. Crushed and unable to move anyway, the only passengers who could even get out would be those lucky enough to land a seat next to it.
Should a fire break out, how would these fire extinguishers possibly manage the fire?
These journeys in Second Class revealed how little some lives are considered to be worth. Some sleep in beds with blankets in air-conditioned cabins, are served food and given water in First Class, and out here, at the end of the train, a man slept face down on the tin floor of the train one foot from the bathroom, with its overflowing water and intense stench. Even on our longest journey of seven hours we chose to only sip on water rather than risk having to use this ‘facility’, and sat with sarongs and scarves around our mouths for much of the journey to avoid the battle our noses and stomachs would otherwise have to endure.
Despite the smells, the sweat, the many little cockroaches scuttling along the floor, endearing moments did indeed shine through, like the family of Muslims who squeezed together to make room for us and our luggage on two overcrowded benches. Another was watching some of the goodbyes. The price of $4 for a long distance ticket is so prohibitive, many of our fellow passengers were undertaking epic once-in-a-lifetime journeys, crying at the door with their parents or families at a stop in a random village before hopping on while we sat guessing and writing our own scripts to understand the scene played out before us.
Riding the rails in India is an intimate way to experience Indian culture and we would recommend it to anyone, but for your own sake, for your own sanity, reserve your Sleeper tickets in advance!
Thanks to Jaime, the Breakaway Backpacker, for taking the first two awesome photos of Dani!
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48 Responses to “Riding the Indian rails: A real life roller coaster ride”
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We are Dani and Jess, a German-American lesbian couple who decided semi-spontaneously to take our work on the road and travel the world in April 2010. Digital Nomads, Street Food Junkies, House-sitters, Vegetarians, Street Art & Photography Lovers, Hotel Enthusiasts. Find out more about us here
Shalu Sharma
05. Sep, 2012
Such stunning photography of the Indian railways some even daring as well. Are you actually leaning out of the door in the second photo on the top. Indian rails are so much fun with the vendors coming in to sell edible items.
Shalu Sharma recently posted..What do Indians wear?
Dani
05. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Shalu! Yes, I have to admit that I hung out the door more than I should have but as soon as the train went faster I went back inside
Scott - Quirky Travel Guy
05. Sep, 2012
It’s eye opening to hear about situations like these, where even the worst Greyhound or subway train in America is far more comfortable than what we could imagine elsewhere. It sounds like a great life experience to ride the Indian train, as a way to see the country and its people.
Scott – Quirky Travel Guy recently posted..Butter sculptures, fried Spam and spaghetti on a stick: Scenes from the Minnesota State Fair
Dani
05. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Scott! 2nd class on an Indian train really was an eye-opening experience. Taking the train in India still is a great experience though and I’d recommend it to anyone – as long as you pre-book your tickets
Lane
05. Sep, 2012
But with Second Class you get much better stories.
Lane recently posted..Santa Fe Ski Basin Drive: Up on the Mountain
Dani
05. Sep, 2012
That’s true, Lane
Bethaney Davies
05. Sep, 2012
Second class sounds like a nightmare but it does make for some amazing photos.
Bethaney Davies recently posted..Toddler Travel Tips – Flying with Toddlers
Dani
05. Sep, 2012
Not all of the photos were taken in 2nd class, most of them were taken on the rides that we were enjoyable
But 2nd class sure is a true adventure!
Brendon
05. Sep, 2012
That sounds like an amazing eye opening experience. Good to see both sides of the coin
. Amazing photo’s. I hope to get a chance to ride Indian rail one day
Brendon recently posted..Building Up From Rock Bottom!
Jess
05. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Brendon! Yes, somehow we got to see both sides – but next time we’d like to see a whole new side: 1st class! Apparently there is even air-conditioning… which seems kind of absurd after experiencing 2nd class
Stephanie - The Travel Chica
06. Sep, 2012
Wonderful insight into their culture.
Dani
06. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Steph! It is definitely a great way to get to know the locals and their culture.
Alexa Hart
06. Sep, 2012
Holy crap, I can’t believe you ladies did 2nd class! That takes real guts! Sleeper class was even difficult for me, with rats, roaches, and constant noise. I got no sleep on my sleeper train. The 3-tier AC cars were several notches above the sleeper. Def recommend an AC car, but it’s true, there are many more stories with sleeper and 2nd class cars. And, did you receive lots of shameless stares?
Alexa Hart recently posted..Makeover of Atlas Sliced Coming Soon
Dani
06. Sep, 2012
Alexa – yes, SO MANY stares! By then we were used to being stared at though, and we were able to ignore them for most part. To be honest, we did not want to get on those trains when we didn’t have a seat reservation but we just had no choice – the trains were booked for months in advance and the distances we covered were just too far to take buses. Next time I’d still like to see what 3rd tier AC cars are like AND in any case we’ll make sure to book ahead
Alexa Hart
10. Sep, 2012
AC is way different. Your post reminded me of a scene in the book Shantaram. It’s an incredible book based on a true story. Takes place in India. Have you read it?
Alexa Hart recently posted..Makeover of Atlas Sliced Coming Soon
Dani
10. Sep, 2012
Still haven’t read it but so many people mentioned it to us – need to get my hands on it!
Priyank
06. Sep, 2012
Dani, Jess, great report of the train journey! I felt nostalgic and your descriptions reminded me of train journeys I took every summer to visit my grandparents. I can still recollect the smell of iron bars and the soot that accumulated on my face because I liked to look outside from the window (and the train had coal engines). Thank you!!
Priyank
Priyank recently posted..Boston Freedom Trail: 5 must-see sights for international travellers
Dani
07. Sep, 2012
Thanks so much, Priyank! From where to where did you take the train when you visited your grandparents? I used to do the same thing in Germany when I was a kid and I was always excited about riding the train by myself… but I am sure the quality of our trains was a bit different
Priyank
07. Sep, 2012
I went from Mumbai to Indore. I’m sure the experience was way different; sharing food with the neighbours, passing cups of chai from the window, vendors selling specialty foods from different cities and ofcourse, resisting trespassers who wanted to take our seats (it wasn’t as crowded as now).
Priyank recently posted..Three bike trails that unlock the beauty of the Niagara region
Dani
08. Sep, 2012
Oh wow, that’s quite a far distance! And yes, VERY different from the train rides to my grand parents
Jade - OurOyster.com
07. Sep, 2012
As much as second class sounds quite bad – it does seem like it was a worth while experience to do it at least once
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Dani
08. Sep, 2012
Jade – definitely! Especially if you know that it’s only going to be a one or two hour train ride, you’ll be fine and you can take some great photos
For longer rides I’d highly recommend reserving tickets though 
Bohemian Trails
09. Sep, 2012
Wow – I love how colorful all these photos are! I’ve heard stories about taking trains in India so it’s great to see it represented in photos
Bohemian Trails recently posted..Awesome Norwegian Art Oddities
Dani
09. Sep, 2012
Thanks, Megan!
Jaime
09. Sep, 2012
I couldn’t stop looking at the photos… seriously amazing and just brought back so many crazy memories from so many crazy times on the trains. It really is one of the best ways to see the country and see more of the Indian culture, but yes have a RESERVED SLEEPER… for real…lol. Oh lord, I’ll never forget our crazy train ride. Oh India… how I miss it.
Jaime recently posted..Streets of Cairo in photos.
Dani
09. Sep, 2012
Thanks so much!! Crazy memories for sure! I love the picture of you hanging out of the door. I can’t believe you’re actually saying that YOU MISS INDIA!!!
Ann
09. Sep, 2012
I guess I got lucky going from Goa to Allepey… I took 2nd class A/C and it was actually surprisingly nice. I suppose all trains in India are not created equal!!
Ann recently posted..More Than Meets the Eye
Dani
09. Sep, 2012
Ann, I can’t believe that you were so lucky – we tried to do that exact same journey, but we couldn’t take it anymore after a few hours and had to get off the train. Did you pre-book your tickets? We also wanted to take the same journey back but the trains were all booked out for months!
jan
09. Sep, 2012
I love train travel. I think I would be a 1st class gal on these trains!
jan recently posted..Fantastic Friday – Dubai Here We Come
Jess
10. Sep, 2012
Jan, we’d totally do first class – you’d just have to book everything months and months in advance!
TammyOnTheMove
09. Sep, 2012
Second class really doesn’t look fun or safe. At least they have fans though. We are planning on taking a train from Delhi to Agra early next year on a whistle stop to India to a trekking trip in Nepal. Thanks for warning us about the pre reservation. We will definitely bear that in mind. But I am really looking forward to the train journey. Looks like so much fun.
TammyOnTheMove recently posted..Phea-chen’s trip to the zoo
Dani
10. Sep, 2012
You are right, it was absolutely NOT safe. There was one particularly bad ride where we were just praying that nothing would happen and waiting to get out. Definitely reserve tickets when you go to India next year – when we tried to make reservations we found out that all the trains we wanted to take were booked for MONTHS.
P.S. Yes, there were fans, but it was still incredibly hot. I think you only feel the fan when you’re on the upper bed.
Bobbi Lee Hitchon
09. Sep, 2012
Train seems like the classic way to travel. It seems like you guys had a lot of fun!! Can’t wait to visit there one day!
Bobbi Lee Hitchon recently posted..What I’m thinking Friday September 7
Jess
10. Sep, 2012
I wouldn’t say we had fun exactly – there were definitely some fun moments on the trains for sure, though! When you do visit Bobbi Lee, definitely book your train travel in advance
Bryan Haines / GringosAbroad
10. Sep, 2012
India has always interested me, but honestly it is the train / bus systems that I fear the most. Thanks for a great post – really gives a feel for what it’s like!
Bryan Haines / GringosAbroad recently posted..What is A Gringo? (Am I One?)
Jess
10. Sep, 2012
Thanks Bryan – as long as you get a sleeper seat, it’s fine, really. You just have to plan India more than other places, and get all those tickets booked in advance.
Jack Norell
13. Sep, 2012
What a rough ride in 2nd, though certainly makes for a story to tell like you did here. Love the photos, brings it all home. I’m not sure I’d have done the 2nd class ride myself, might have simply got a flight instead and d**n the cost!
Jack Norell recently posted..Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
Dani
13. Sep, 2012
I have to admit that when we found out that the train from Goa back to Kerala (15 hours) was completely booked and there was no chance to get a seat, we opted for a short flight instead… worth every penny
I’d still recommend taking the train in India, it’s such a great experience (as long as you have a seat, preferably in sleeper class)
AimanAimz
13. Sep, 2012
This has me all nostalgic about when I when I rode the train as a kid to visit my grandparents for the first time! It’s such a unique experience and reminds you that sometimes its more about the journey than the destination! I can’t wait to do it again one day soon!
Lovely lovely post!!
AimanAimz recently posted..Capri vs Anacapri: who wins?
Dani
16. Sep, 2012
Thanks so much!
Tom @ Waegook Tom
19. Sep, 2012
Second class does NOT sound like my idea of an adventure – I’ll be booking in advance when I hit up India next year, for sure! Sleeper or AC. And no hanging out of the door
Tom @ Waegook Tom recently posted..The One With The Lost Passport
Dani
19. Sep, 2012
Yes, definitely book in advance!! It’ll safe you a lot of pain
Reena @ Wanderplex
20. Sep, 2012
What a great account of train travel in India! Definitely brings back memories… what I loved most was all the tea/fruit/food sellers that would be hawking goods every time the train stopped at a station.
Reena @ Wanderplex recently posted..Looking at the world through rose (and other) colored glasses
Dani
20. Sep, 2012
Thanks so much! Yes, all the food sellers were the highlight of every stop. And the guys who were carrying big buckets filled with drinks and ice cubes
sidharth
08. Oct, 2012
Having been in Pittsburgh for a year, when i read your article i felt that i was back in Kerala
the pictures invoke a feeling of nostalgia in me …
Jess
08. Oct, 2012
Thank you, Sidharth! Pittsburgh must feel so different from India!!
sidharth
08. Oct, 2012
it really does!! And as u said, i like the 2nd class train ride– you make new friends , you have a taste of good local food and what not
Aus Globetrotter
26. Mar, 2013
Oh geez I head to India in a week and have booked no trains in advance. I guess I am going to truly experience this train ride shock and the culture that goes with it. Ha should be interesting, but that’s what I am after when I travel, Great blog post, very descriptive, ceers